Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2024

Amplify + Nike take over Bangkok to inspire runners during the Amazing Thailand Marathon...

Challenge

Redefine the marathon experience for runners of the Amazing Thailand Marathon (ATM), a race marked by the grueling conditions of extreme heat, high humidity, and limited spectator support. The task was to create an impactful, memorable experience that motivates, inspires, and celebrates the determination of the runners as they run the Amazing Thailand Marathon.

Insight + Strategy

ATM runners embody resilience when overcoming the physical and mental challenges of the 42.2km race in the dark at 2am. One of the key insights was that runners need motivation during the race's quiet, difficult stretches where spectators would usually be in a marathon–the runner’s journey is as much about mental toughness as physical endurance.

The strategy centred on bringing Nike’s running global campaign of “Winning isn’t Comfortable” and distinct brand voice into the marathon journey. By combining motivational messaging with creative and strategic out-of-home placements along the race route, the goal was to act as the coach, and the crowd for the runners—supporting them through every milestone with a blend of local wit and Nike’s bold running attitude.

Solution

We crafted localised, bilingual headlines that infused the Nike brand voice into every aspect of the ATM experience:

On-Course Messaging:

  • Tailored OOH messaging along the course addressed the mental and physical challenges of the race, acting as a coach in runners’ heads that understood the key emotions they were feeling at each milestone throughout the race.

Strategic Placements:

  • Iconic Locations: Placements at prominent landmarks like Victory Monument and Siam Paragon sought to replace the missing crowd.
  • Quiet Stretches: Inspirational messaging provided motivation when runners needed it most.
  • Royal Zone: Respectful restraint allowed the real crowds to shine, reserving brand presence for a celebratory finale.

Creative Storytelling:

  • Messaging reflected the unique resilience of ATM runners, celebrating their determination to push beyond comfort and finish strong.

Results

Empowered Runners: Runners fed back that they felt the presence of the billboard takeover throughout the race and it inspired them to keep going. One runner reported that the messages fired them up so much that they managed to set a 10K PB at the start of their race.

Community Commitment: The campaign reinforced Nike’s dedication to the running community, fostering a deeper emotional connection with runners on the ground.